This invention is in the field of land vehicles and is more particularly directed to the field of articulated vehicles and is even more specifically directed to the field of articulated mining vehicles.
Articulated vehicles have been used for many years in underground mines with such vehicles normally comprising a front vehicle portion having two supporting wheels and a rear vehicle portion having two supporting wheels with an articulation joint connecting the front and rear vehicle portions to permit the vehicle to maneuver around the sharp turns and narrow confines frequently encountered in mining operations. Since the surface over which such vehicles must be operated will frequently be rough and uneven, it is also necessary that the front and rear portions of such vehicles have the capacity for relative roll movement consisting of rotation with respect to each other about a central longitudinal horizontal axis.
Prior known mining vehicles have employed a connection between the front vehicle portion and the rear vehicle portion consisting of a relatively long cylindrical tubular rod matingly inserted in a cylindrical bushing and capable of rotation therein. Unfortunately, it has been found that the foregoing construction is highly susceptible to wear in certain areas in which the pressures of engagement between the parts are substantial due to the fact that it is impossible to keep dirt and other abrasive material out of the articulation joint formed of the cylindrical bushing and the elongated cylindrical tubular rod bearing member positioned therein. The only way in which repairs of this device can be made is by a costly and time consuming disassembly of the vehicle to effect replacement of the bushing and bearing members.
Another factor which must be considered in the design of mining machines is that the vehicle must be capable of operating in mines where the height of the mine roof is very low as frequently occurs in mines having thin seams of coal or other material being mined. It is consequently essential that all mining equipment used in such mines have as low as possible overall height. The necessity for building the vehicle as low as possible in conjunction with the necessity for permitting oscillation of the front and rear vehicle portions about a horizontal longitudinal axis and about a vertical steering axis presents substantial design problems not present in other surface operated vehicles.
Another problem with mining vehicles is that electrical cables and hydraulic lines must be provided to extend between the front vehicle portion and the rear vehicle portion which are subjected to constant relative movement with respect to each other. It is obviously essential that the electrical lines be protected from cutting or damage likely to create a short circuit and resultant arcing and it is also obviously desirable that the hydraulic line be similarly protected against damage.
Therefore, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved articulated vehicle.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved articulated mining vehicle having a minimum height and having front and rear portions capable of articulation about both a vertical axis and a horizontal axis.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved articulated mining vehicle in which the articulation means is adjustable to accommodate wear of the parts.
The foregoing and other objects of the invention are achieved by the preferred embodiment through the provision of front and rear vehicle portions in which the articulation means between the front and rear vehicle portions comprises a floating connector member between the vehicle portions connected to the front vehicle portion by first and second longitudinally horizontally aligned universal joints each including a spherical bearing sleeve fixedly mounted on the floating connector member. Front and rear horizontal pins support spherical bearings positioned in the spherical sleeves for universal motion while the rear portion of the floating connector member includes first and second vertically aligned spherical bearing sleeves universally connected to spherical bearings on upper and lower vertically aligned pivot pins connected to the front of the rear vehicle portion.
A better understanding of the manner in which the preferred embodiment achieves the foregoing objects will be enabled when the following detailed description is considered in conjunction with the appended drawings in which like reference numerals are used in different figures for the same parts.